Sniper training

328 Pages·2004·3.56 MB·english

by  United States. Dept. of the Army

*FM 23-10
17 August 1994
FIELD MANUAL HEADQUARTERS
No. 23-10 DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Washington, DC, 17 August 1994
SNIPER TRAINING
CONTENTS
DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTION: Approved for public release;
distribution is unlimited.
*This publication supersedes TC 23-14, 14 June 1989.
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PREFACE
This field manual provides information needed to train and equip snipers
and to aid them in their missions and operations. It is intended for use
by commanders, staffs, trainers, snipers, and soldiers at training posts,
Army schools, and units.
This manual is organized as a reference for snipers and leads the trainer
through the material needed to conduct sniper training. Subjects include
equipment, weapon capabilities, fundamentals of marksmanship and
ballistics, field skills, mission planning, and skill sustainment.
The left-handed firer can become a sniper, but all material in this book
is referenced to the right-handed firer.
The proponent for this publication is Headquarters, United States Army
Infantry School. Send comments and recommendations on DA Form 2028
(Recommended Changes to Publications and Blank Forms) directly to the
Commandant, United States Army Infantry School, ATTN: ATSH-IN-S3,
Fort Benning, GA 31905-5596.
This publication complies with the following international agreements:
STANAG 2020 Operational Situation Report
STANAG 2022 Intelligence Report
STANAG 2084 Handling and Reporting of Captured Enemy
Equipment and Documents
STANAG 2103 Reporting Nuclear Detonations, Radioactive Fallout
and Biological and Chemical Attacks, and Predicting
Associated Hazards
STANAG 2934 Artillery Procedures—AARTY-l
STANAG 3204 Aeromedical Evacuation
STANAG 6004 Meaconing, Intrusion, Jamming, and Interference
Report
Unless this publication states otherwise, masculine nouns and
pronouns do not refer exclusively to men.
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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
The sniper has special abilities, training and equipment. His job is
to deliver discriminatory highly accurate rifle fire against enemy
targets, which cannot be engaged successfully by the rifleman
because of range, size, location, fleeting nature, or visibility.
Sniping requires the development of basic infantry skills to a high
degree of perfection. A sniper's training incorporates a wide variety
of subjects designed to increase his value as a force multiplier and
to ensure his survival on the battlefield. The art of sniping requires
learning and repetitiously practicing these skills until mastered.
A sniper must be highly trained in long-range rifle marksmanship
and field craft skills to ensure maximum effective engagements with
minimum risk.
1-1. MISSION
The primary mission of a sniper in combat is to support combat operations
by delivering precise long-range fire on selected targets. By this, the
sniper creates casualties among enemy troops, slows enemy movement,
frightens enemy soldiers, lowers morale, and adds confusion to
their operations. The secondary mission of the sniper is collecting and
reporting battlefield information.
a. A well-trained sniper, combined with the inherent accuracy of his
rifle and ammunition, is a versatile supporting arm available to an infantry
commander. The importance of the sniper cannot be measured simply by
the number of casualties he inflicts upon the enemy. Realization of the
sniper’s presence instills fear in enemy troop elements and influences
their decisions and actions. A sniper enhances a unit’s firepower and
augments the varied means for destruction and harassment of the enemy.
Whether a sniper is organic or attached, he will provide that unit with
1-1